Gold Trail Stakes Opens NZB Filly of the Year Series 

15 September 2016

The New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series gets underway at Hastings on Saturday with the running of the $70,000 Group 3 Hawke’s Bay Breeders Gold Trail Stakes (1200m).

Now in its 44th year, the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year title is awarded to the three-year-old filly that accumulates the most points in the 10-race Series in New Zealand.

Saturday’s race is run over 1200m with the distances increasing throughout the Series and culminating in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks over 2400m at Trentham. Fillies that compete in the Series are awarded points for wins or placings in each race.

The Gold Trail Stakes was last won by the subsequent New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series winner back in 2003-04, when Taatletail (NZ) (Faltaat) was victorious.

But several fillies in the intervening years have placed in the Gold Trail before excelling over the longer distances and winning the title – Daffodil (NZ) (No Excuse Needed) ran second in 2008, Katie Lee (Pins) was third in 2009, Fix (NZ) (Iffraaj) finished fourth in 2012 and Costa Viva (Encosta De Lago) was second in 2013.

This year’s field features black-type winners It’s Time For Magic (NZ) (Per Incanto), Volpe Veloce (Foxwedge), Gold Rush (NZ) (So You Think) and Sassy ‘N’ Smart (Smart Missile).

Saturday’s event will be the first chance for fillies to get points on the board in the sought-after Series, with 6 points for first, 3 for second and 1.5 for third. The Group 3 Hawke’s Bay Breeders Gold Trail Stakes will be run as Race 6 at 3.16pm, click here to view the full field.

For more information on the NZB Filly of the Year Series, click here.

# Horse Draw Comments Trainer Jockey
1 Its Time For Magic 10 Purchased at the NZB Weanling Sale for just $1,200, Its Time For Magic (NZ) (Per Incanto) has had four starts for a win and two placings. She is a last-start winner of the Listed O'Leary's Fillies' Stakes at Wanganui. Robert Priscott
2 Volpe Veloce 2 Foxwedge filly Volpe Veloce cost $240,000 at the NZB Premier Sale and is unbeaten in two starts. After an easy debut win at Matamata, she scored by two and three-quarter lengths in the Listed Castletown Stakes at Wanganui. Graham Richardson Johnathan Parkes
3 Gold Rush 1 Gold Rush (NZ) became the first stakes winner for her sire, the champion racehorse So You Think (NZ), when she won the Group 2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes in February. Lance O'Sullivan & Andrew Scott Craig Grylls
4 Bella Gioia 15 After a fifth on debut last December, Bella Gioia (NZ) (Swiss Ace) has impressively won her two subsequent starts in July and August. Her last-start win at Taupo came at the expense of subsequent Listed winner Its Time For Magic. Shaune Ritchie
5 Mystery Show 5 An impressive winner on debut last season, Mystery Show (NZ) (Sakhee's Soldier) was a close second in a strong Ruakaka race in her only subsequent start. James Bridge Mark Du Plessis
6 Sassy 'N' Smart 6 Smart Missile filly Sassy 'N' Smart was a stakes winner last season in the Listed Welcome Stakes and ran second in the Group 2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes. Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards Matt Cameron
7 Honey Rider 3 The highly rated Honey Rider (NZ) (Pins) won on debut, then ran second to race rival Volpe Veloce in the Castletown Stakes in her only other start. Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman Michael Coleman
8 Babe 14 Bred and raced by Waikato Stud, Babe (NZ) (O'Reilly) was a gutsy winner of her only previous start. She will be ridden by star Sydney-based Kiwi jockey Jason Collett. Graham Richardson Jason Collett
9 Rayas 7 This will be the second career start for Rip Van Winkle filly Rayas (NZ), who was an easy debut winner at Otaki. Paul Shailer Samantha Collett
10 Indecision 13 A half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Viadana (NZ) (Towkay), the Per Incanto filly Indecision (NZ) won impressively on debut before finishing seventh at Ruakaka. Tony Pike Leith Innes
11 Tesia 9 A debut winner last season, Tesia (NZ) (Pins) has since finished a close fourth, fourth and eighth in strong company behind the likes of the season's champion two-year-old Sacred Elixir (NZ) (Pour Moi). Graham Richardson Shaun McKay
12 Glass Slipper 12 Glass Slipper (NZ) (Pins) is still a maiden after four starts, but was stakes placed in the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes. She was also a close eighth in the Karaka Million. Lance O'Sullivan & Andrew Scott Cameron Lammas
13 Queen Of Zealand 4 Savabeel filly Queen Of Zealand (NZ) was seventh behind Bella Gioia on debut, then stepped up to stakes level and finished third to Its Time For Magic in the O'Leary's Fillies' Stakes at Wanganui. Wayne Jones
14 I Am Gracie 8 I Am Gracie (I Am Invincible) has yet to win in six starts but has been close up behind the likes of black-type gallopers Gasoline, Wyndspelle, O'Rachael, Mongolian Falcon and Its Time For Magic. She is the first black-type runner for the new training partnership of Moira Murdoch and her daughter Kieran. Moira & Kieran Murdoch
15 Exhibit 11 Scratched.
16 Margot 16 Swiss Ace filly Margot (NZ) has been thrown in the deep end, making her debut at Group 3 level. She has placed at the trials. Suzy Gordon